The present invention relates to distress signal transmitters that are attachable to life jackets or articles of clothing.
On Jul. 24, 2015, two teenagers and their fishing boat went missing off the coast of southern Florida. In response to this news, the local Florida coast guards searched the corresponding area to try to locate and rescue them. After a few days, the coast guards finally discovered their capsized fishing boat, but still could not locate the boys. Eventually, the coast guards called off the search, leaving the parents to continue with their own private search that was funded by friendly donations. Unfortunately, the boys were never found, and the parents eventually gave up after losing hope. This tragedy was caused by the difficulty in locating the individuals that were lost at sea. It is therefore highly desirable to create devices that can transmit S.O.S distress signals to allow search parties to quickly find the victims.
If the two boys were able to call the coast guards as soon as their boat capsized, their lives may have been saved. However, the accident happened at a location far from any cell tower. Common cellular phones are not useful in such situations because common cellular phone signals can not reach that long of a distance. Kuo in CN Patent No. 201690506 disclosed a mobile phone with the ability to send an emergency call using FM radio waves. It is adapted to situations in which the user is in distress, and when the user's mobile phone is unable to connect to a cell tower. However, if the user is unconscious or physically unable to use the mobile phone, then Kuo's mobile phone will not be of use. In addition, transmission of FM waves would require the use of an antenna, and therefore would not function if the mobile phone was dropped into water while the boat was capsized.
Rastegar in U.S. Pat. No. 8,624,726 disclosed a battery-less hand-held device that transmits a distress signal. The device generates electricity when it is impacted against another surface, and therefore does not require a pre-charged battery in order to generate the signal. However, Rastegar's device requires the user to impact the device against another surface, and therefore can not be of use if the user is lost at sea, or is physically unable to activate the device. Rastegar's device also would not function if it were dropped into sea water.
Loughlin in U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,297 disclosed a multi-purpose life jacket that includes a signal device. The signal device is triggered upon contact with water, and includes a transmitter, a speaker, and a battery. Therefore, Loughlin's device is adapted to situations where a person is thrown overboard, and is physically unable to manually activate the device. However, Loughlin's device requires the use of an electrical battery that is not self-powered, and will constantly lose power. As a result, when the battery is completely out of power, the signal device will be disabled. It is furthermore a maintenance burden to keep all batteries charged at all times. In addition, the signal device requires an antenna in order to transmit the signal. Because antennas are not functional when submerged in water, this device would not function well at sea. Furthermore, Loughlin's device does not include a method of canceling the distress signaling, allowing the possibility for false signals to be sent on accident.
It is therefore desirable to provide distress signal transmitters that can be automatically activated upon contact with water in order to ensure the transmission of the distress signal even if a person is unconscious or severely injured. It should also include a self-powered battery in order to ensure that the device will not run out of electricity. The antenna of the device should be able to float above the surface of water. In addition, the device should include a method to cancel the distress signal in case of an accidental activation. It is also highly desirable to provide coordinates determined by a Global Positioning System (G.P.S) so that search parties can pinpoint the location of the victim.